Pathways to Education: Offsetting Tuition at Hudsonville Christian

For nearly 30 years, a private school in Michigan has relied on RaiseRight to make private education more affordable for families.

Since 1917, Hudsonville Christian has been committed to academic excellence, providing children with an engaging and thoughtful religious-based education.

To make their offerings accessible to as many families as possible, this private school partnered with RaiseRight in their early days in 1995. Over the years, RaiseRight has helped reduce tuition costs for Hudsonville Christian families so more children can experience scripture-infused academic learning, worship, volunteer opportunities, extracurricular activities, and more in a compassionate, faith-based environment.

Fueling Hudsonville Christian's TRIP

Hudsonville Christian knew they wanted to make their education more affordable—but as an institution that relies on tuition, they weren’t sure where to start. By collaborating with RaiseRight, they launched their Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (TRIP). 

With this program, families can raise money to offset school costs in one of two ways:

1. Ordering gift cards in person at weekly TRIP sessions at a discounted rate.
   
   
2. Purchasing physical and eGift cards or shopping online through Hudsonville Christian’s RaiseRight program.

About 90% of TRIP earnings go directly toward helping parents pay for tuition. The school designates the remaining 10% for general academic funding. 

Thanks to RaiseRight, many families have raised enough to offset tuition costs significantly. While many households use TRIP to finance tuition for current students, they can also leverage TRIP to save for future generations or fund higher education. 

Beth, the current TRIP and RaiseRight coordinator at Hudsonville Christian, has actively managed these efforts for over nine years and wants to continue for as long as possible, given the widespread impact and success of the program.

Why Hudsonville Christian continues to rely on RaiseRight for 30+ years

How does RaiseRight help Beth and the school’s families raise money for tuition assistance with TRIP? Here are some key factors that make RaiseRight stand out:

• Unlimited earning opportunities—RaiseRight allows organizations to fundraise anytime, anywhere, all year round. Even during summer and holiday breaks, families at Hudsonville Christian can earn money towards their child’s tuition.
  
  
• Ease of use and convenience—Fundraising with RaiseRight is straightforward and works for any family’s lifestyle. Parents can earn toward tuition with every purchase—whether they're shopping for school supplies, new technology, groceries, or anything else—by shopping online, using the mobile app, or swiping a physical card at checkout.
  
  
• Hundreds of brands to choose from—No matter their shopping habits or preferences, all families can benefit from RaiseRight to offset tuition costs.

Ultimately, RaiseRight lets families earn on their terms, no matter what that looks like. That’s why Hudsonville Christian and other private institutions have put their trust in us—we make fundraising easy and efficient so participants can maximize their earnings.

Real-world success: one family's story

According to Beth, countless households have benefitted from using TRIP to offset the cost of their children’s education. She recalls recently meeting a family who was considering Hudsonville Christian but was concerned about being able to afford tuition.

Beth set them up with TRIP and helped the family get started with the basics: gas and grocery store gift cards. Once they became familiar with the RaiseRight app, the family’s earnings took off:

• In 6 months, the family earned about $700-$800 for their child’s tuition
• In one year, they fundraised about $1500-$1600 total

Through this fundraising success, the family was able to offset multiple monthly payments, bringing their dreams of sending their child to the school within reach.

Making a difference beyond tuition

Through TRIP—and RaiseRight—Hudsonville Christian has helped parents offset tuition for almost 30 years. Even more impressive? Beth notes that TRIP brings in “about $200,000 a year for families and an additional $25,000 for the school.”

RaiseRight can support your private institution in more ways than just tuition. Hudsonville Christian and hundreds of other schools use RaiseRight to earn money for:

• Athletics
• Arts
• Clubs
• Classroom supplies and upgrades
• Professional development
• New technology
• Field trips

That’s the power of fundraising with RaiseRight—you can raise funds for any cause you care about, when and how you want to, with no restrictions.